1.Andhra Pradesh State Agricultural Department cautions rain fed farmers against opting for Bt cotton
2.Alarming increase in minor pests causes crop wilting in many parts of State
EXTRACT: In Andhra Pradesh, cotton is grown under rainfed conditions in around 78% of the total cotton acreage.
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1.Andhra Pradesh State Agricultural Department cautions rain fed farmers against opting for Bt cotton
Deccan Development Society, March 29 2007
The State Department of Agriculture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, India has finally conceded that Bt cotton is not beneficial to the rainfed farmers.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/29/stories/2007032908040400.htm
In Andhra Pradesh, cotton is grown under rainfed conditions in around 78% of the total cotton acreage.
The Commissioner and Director of the State Department of Agriculture has also conceded that, 'the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops, engineered for a specific trait, was also resulting in new pest problems.'
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/29/stories/2007032908040400.htm
Deccan Development Society (DDS) have in fact brought out this fact through their season long studies in the cotton growing areas of the state as early as in 2005 that the incidence of sucking pests have been increasing on the cotton crop since the introduction of the GM cotton in the state http://www.ddsindia.com/www/PDF/BT_Cotton_-_A_three_year_report.pdf
Recently DDS has also brought out that new diseases started appearing on the cotton plants in the areas where Bt cotton is grown extensively.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=140124
Not only the new diseases, even cattle on grazing the Bt plants are succumbing to Bt cotton http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/02/stories/2007030208990400.htm
Mr. Kiran and Mr. Abdul Qayuum
Consultants, DDS
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2.Alarming increase in minor pests causes crop wilting in many parts of State
Special Correspondent
The Hindu, March 29 2007
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/29/stories/2007032908040400.htm
HYDERABAD: Significant climate changes over the past few years have led to 'alarming' increase in the hitherto minor or unknown pests that are causing wilting and other effects on the crops in different parts of the State.
For instance, paddy crop in over 45,000 hectares in East Godavari district was infected by stem-rot disease in just three days during the previous season.
"Moreover, since the pests are viral in nature, there is no alternative but to burn the affected plants to ensure that the disease does not spread to others," Agriculture Commissioner Poonam Malakondaiah said.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, she said the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops, engineered for a specific trait, was also resulting in new pest problems. This called for a regular monitoring and surveillance system to know the status of pests, which was a pre-requisite for effective implementation of integrated pest management.
To counter this, the department had cautioned the GM companies to indicate the problems on the labels of their products while they were also cautioned against spurious seed.
The department was planning to take up awareness programmes on the new pests during the Rythu Chaitanya Yatras between April 16 and May 5 wherein farmers would be educated on different aspects of crops and cropping pattern.
In addition, it was decided to prepare village agriculture action plans by April 5 and strengthen pest surveillance mechanism in every district through the seed testing labs to test genetic purity of the seeds.
The department had also cautioned farmers against opting for Bt cotton crops in rain-fed areas.